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Hens Fighting

Hello te everyones reading this thread. I wanted to post a question to see if anyone can help. My question is what to do when you put a hen with another one and they fight. What have you guys done to make them quit fighting. Post advice guys....

Re: Hens Fighting

Originally Posted by window

Hello te everyones reading this thread. I wanted to post a question to see if anyone can help. My question is what to do when you put a hen with another one and they fight. What have you guys done to make them quit fighting. Post advice guys....

The brood cock or the rooster that is with them should make them quit.The rooster that does not do that ain't worth having.mho

Re: Hens Fighting

Lets see more solutions to hens fighting. When hens fight usually it is just to establish a pecking order. And so i always believed. But when they wont stop until one dies, it is such a waste. When the cock joins the ruckus they run but when they meet again they start all over. We lost one hen and the feeder found the "victor" still pounding on and the other was beat up black and blue and eventually died.
So far the solution is to coop them up and let them loose one by one to be f...cked which they apparently like :-) then catch and coop again. Too much work.

Re: Hens Fighting

Well if there is no cock with them then in my opinion the only way to do this is turn them loose for awhile. Reason for this at least when one has had enough it can actually get away. Never ever put two hens together while they are laying because most likely they will break eggs on the inside of there bodies. That could be fatal in some cases. But once they have ran loose together on the yard they know the pecking order and in most cases then you can actually put them together in a pen without problems. If I have two I plan on crossing I usually turn them loose in November and catch them up December. Now this does not work all the time but in most cases it does and at least you will not have dead hens. Here is a tip just in case you happen to not be home one day and it starts or sometimes them old cocks are nasty while in molt. Put a old cement block on the inside of the pen with the other opening facing the bottom board. At least your hen has somewhere to hide so the other cannot kill her once she has had enough. This has saved me some hens throughout the years. Because I am more worried about them cocks when they are molt. I have seen some for years never bother a hen and then one year during molt the out right kill a hen. Make sure you put it close enough to the board where her head is safe. Hope this helps you.

Re: Hens Fighting

Thanks Surcutt, thats a great suggestion, the cement block. Will do that in all yards. And agree, will put them together afer the laying season which just started here in PH. Meanwhile it will be single hand mating for these hens. Your tip on te rooster is also useful, because when the rumble starts the broodstag would jump in and can do more damage. Happy New year.

Re: Hens Fighting

Thanks Guys. I was thinking in extreme cases, maybe we could cord up the ladies and let the rooster do the roaming. Hit two birds with one stone as we wont need trap nests anymore to id the eggs :-) my only worry is the rooster might play favorites and forget to fertilize some hens :-( will need to observe this one option. Thanks for all the advise everyone. Im going to try some of the suggestions and see what works. Happy new year!

Re: Hens Fighting

Originally Posted by samiyam007

The brood cock or the rooster that is with them should make them quit.The rooster that does not do that ain't worth having.mho

I have never seen a rooster that did not break up hens fighting with each other(except for asils a friend had).None of my dads were like this and none that I have ever had were like that.A good rooster is like the king of his domain,he rules all in his territory.I have seen roosters attack dogs,cats,rats,snakes,opossums and humans when the rooster felt like he or his harem were in danger.Breaking up two hens scuffling is not a major feat for even a rhode island red,surely a gamecock could do it.
I am surprised at some of the comments to mine.If the hens are that bitter that the cock cannot break them up keep them seperated.Any chance you can show the video where your rooster is watching the two hens go at it?

Re: Hens Fighting

Originally Posted by jemm65

Donít be too hard on that rooster. Heís a broodcock , not a referee. lol...

This is True and well said,I would never get rid of any of my Broodcocks just because he ain't stopping 2 hens at it or 1 hen going at the other..He surely understands law & order,& i suppose all cocks know this..